Nitzanim makes a mosaic!

This week in yetzirah (art/creativity), Nitzanim worked together to create and finish their final project for the year, a mosaic bench. For the last two weeks, children collaborated to create three symbols, one for each of our three main themes this past year, Hallel, Haggadah, and Sh’mitah. Nitzanim thought, talked, and drew to invent unique, simplified shapes to represent each theme. Morah Miriam took their drawings and ideas and collated them into one unified design for the bench. We ended up using a music note for Hallel, a burning bush for Haggadah, and an apple tree for Sh’mitah. After drawing the design on the bench as a guideline, the rest was up to nitzanim to create the mosaic on top. Making a mosaic is generally a four step process: making your design, cutting your tiles, arranging tiles, and finally, grouting.

Starting on Sunday, children starting arranging tiny pieces of ceramic tile on the bench using a special kind of adhesive. Monday and Tuesday we finished laying down all of the tiles including the background pieces. Then on Wednesday we grouted the entire bench, filling in all the spaces in between and completing the entire project! The bench turned out beautifully and we’re looking forward to having it in our space next year at the JEC.

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Jewish Enrichment Center Named One of Chicago’s Top 20 Innovative Jewish Organizations!

The Jewish Enrichment Center has been named one of 20 leading Jewish organizations in Chicago, by Slingshot. Selected from among hundreds of finalists reviewed by over 100 professionals with expertise in grant-making and Jewish communal life, the Guide called the Jewish Enrichment Center “A trailblazing educational approach to Jewish children’s learning in which the students are co-creators of dynamic Jewish life.”

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We’re counting the Omer day by day with this calendar, created by the children. #jewishenrichment